Anchoring device



Sept' 12, 1950 B. M. PlLLow 2,522,191

ANCHORING DEVICE Filed March 22, 1949 Patented Sept. 12 1950 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an anchor, and more particularly to an anchor for duck decoys.

The object of the invention is to provide an anchor for maintaining duck decoys immobile when oating on a body of water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor which is constructed of a resilient material so that the anchors will not damage the decoys when carried in the sack or bag along with the decoys.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an anchor for duck decoys which includes a resilient body and a plurality of resilient flex ible hooks which are adapted to engage weeds, plants, and the like on the bottom of the body of water, to prevent the decoys from being blown or iloating away, but which is constructed so that the hooks will ilex and become disengaged from the weeds when the hunter pulls on the anchor line or cord so that the anchor can be retrieved.

A further object of the invention is to provide an anchor for duck decoys which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisl application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the anchor, according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the anchor;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the anchor; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l designates a hole or bore which is arranged above a plurality of spaced hooks or arms 2 that project from a body 3.

The hole or opening l is adapted to receive a portion of an anchoring line or cord (not shown) and the anchoring line extends or is secured to a suitable duck decoy that floats on a body oi water. The body 3 and the hooks or arms 2 define an anchor for maintaining the decoy relatively immobile on the surface of the water so that the decoy will not be blown away by the wind, or carried away by a, strong current. Thus, the hooks 2 will engage in or be caught in grass, weeds, plant life, or rocks on the bottom of a body of water to prevent the decoy from floating away. However, in fabricating the anchor, the body 3 and arms 2 are molded of hard rubber so that the hooks 2 will fiex and become disengaged from the weeds when the anchor cord is pulled by the duck hunter, even though the hooks may be in engagement with a strong root or branch of a bush. Thus, the anchor can be retrieved as desired by the hunter and this is advantageous, since it is not possible to pull loose the ordinary conventional anchor which is made of metal.

Further, the body 3 of the anchor may be provided with a suitable metal insert ffl, Figure 4, so that the anchor can be made of any desired weight. Thus, anchors of Various weights may be used depending on the conditions of use.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that an anchor for duck decoys has been provided which is extremely efficient. Since the duck decoys are usually made of thin ber board and are hollow, a fairly small anchor is sufhcient to maintain the duck decoys in place in the water. The Vanchor is preferably made of vulcanized rubber, and when molded or finished will have approximately the same hardness as an automobile tire. Further, since the anchors are made of rubber, the anchors will not damage the decoys when the anchors and decoys are being carried in the same bag by the hunter. Thus, it is customary to carry ten or twelve decoys in a burlap sack and the anchors are in the same sack and are in direct contact with the decoys. Since the anchors are made of rubber, the decoys will not be punctured or dented, and the other parts of the decoys, such as the paint thereon or glass eyes, will not be damaged. A metal insert l may be positioned within the body 3 as when a heavy anchor is to be used in a swift current. As previously stated, the hooks 2 are suiiciently strong and stili to prevent the decoy from drifting off, but when the anchor line is pulled by the hunter, the hooks will bend or iieX and thereby disengage themselves from weeds or the like from the bottom of a body of water so that the anchor can be retrieved. The anchor may be of any shape, such as a square, hexagonal, fiat, or cylindrical.

While I have shown and described a specic embodiment of my invention, this is by way of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such variations in construction, as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim:

l. As a new article of manufacture, an anchor fabricated of resilient material and comprising a body, and a plurality of spaced flexible hooks of the same material as the body projecting from said body and arranged to grapple objects to hold the anchor in desired location.

2. As a new article of manufacture, anchor abr-mated of resilient material and comprising a body, a plurality of spaced flexible hooks of the same material as the body projecting from said body and arranged to grapple objects to hold the anchor in desired location, and a weighted insert positioned within said body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an anchor fabricated of resilient material and comprising a body, a plurality of spaced flexible hooks of the same material as the body projecting from said body adjacent to Aone end, and a weighted insert positioned within said body, there being an opening in said body adjacent to the other end thereof for receiving a portion of an anchoring line the hooks being directed obliquely of .the length of the body away from the said one end.'v

4. An anchor for duck decoys .comprising a body made of hard rubber, a metal insert positioned in said body, there being'an opening in said body for receiving a portion of an anchor-l ing line, and a plurality of flexible hook arms o f the .same material as the body projecting from said body.

5. An anchor device of the character stated, comprising a long body of approximately elliptical cross sectional form and having an aperture through one end for the attachment of a cord thereto', and a plurality of `outwardly projecting pointed grapple arms of flexible material carried by the body adjacent to the other end thereof and extending obliquely of the length of the body and being of the same material as the body.

6. An anchor of the character stated in claim 5, in which said body is formed of rubber, and a weight member completely embedded in the body and encased thereby.

7. An anchoring device of the character described, comprising a long body of rubber material having a substantially elliptical cross sectional form and provided at one end with a transverse opening for the attachment of a cord thereto, the vsaid body tapering to a rounded point at the said one end thereof, and outwardly extending tapering grapple arms of rubber integral with the body at the other end thereof and directed oblquely of the body away from the said other end.

BENJAMIN M. PILLOW.

REFERENCES CITED The vfollowing references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 37,647 Spencer Feb. 10, 1863 1,339,697 England May 11, 1920 1,651,960 Miller Dec. 6, 1929 1,908,537 Pflueger May 9, 1933 2,187,991 Tyler Jan. 23, 1940 2,218,280 Deering Oct. 15, 1940 

